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Sunday, Apr. 15 3:00pm ET
Angry stars sent packing in third quarter

RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minnesota Timberwolves were planning to limit Kevin Garnett's minutes Sunday, but not like this.

Reggie Slater
Timberwolves center Reggie Slater had nine points and seven rebounds Sunday.

Garnett and Karl Malone were ejected within a minute of each other during the third quarter as the Timberwolves defeated the Utah Jazz 107-100 in a nationally televised game that included six technical fouls.

"That was the NBA at its best – fan-tastic," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said.

The Wolves unintentionally got a chance to prepare for the playoffs without Garnett – and they liked the results. Minnesota held a 59-58 lead when Garnett was ejected with 7:24 remaining in the third period and built that to 92-82 with 6:12 left in the game. Then the Wolves held off the Jazz after John Stockton's back-door layup cut their lead to 99-96 with 1:37 remaining.

"At the times we've played without K.G. in spurts, we've done well," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said.

Malone and Garnett were given technicals for getting rough under the basket with 7:52 remaining in the third period. Malone, who scored 14 points, was ejected for the second time this season after arguing with official Joey Crawford.

Garnett was called for a foul on Danny Manning on the Jazz's next possession, drawing a protest from Garnett. Reggie Slater tried to hold Garnett away from official Jim Clark, but Garnett spun away toward Clark and was given his second technical of the game and the first ejection of his career with 7:24 left in the period.

Garnett, who finished with 17 points, cursed and made an obscene gesture toward the officials as he walked off the court.

Clark and Malone declined to talk to reporters.

Garnett said he wasn't sure why he was given the second technical, claiming the strongest thing he said was: "Damn, I can't believe you made that call."

"I didn't have a strong conversation with the referee," Garnett said. "My conversation was basically very short, and I said I can't believe they called that touch foul. Maybe the referee was sensitive at that point, but this is crazy.

"I have never been kicked out of a game in my career – maybe chased out of a park a couple of times. This is crazy."

Slater also said Garnett did not curse at the officials.

"He may have said what he said emphatically, but he didn't say it in a threatening manner," Slater said. "It wasn't a phantom tech – because he got it – but it was a mystery tech."

Utah's John Starks and Manning were called for technicals in the fourth period.

Garnett finished with 17 points. About the gesture he made toward the officials, he said he wasn't worried about any possible repercussions from the league.

"I'm the one who should be mad at them," he said.

Game notes
Felipe Lopez returned to the Wolves' starting lineup in place of Anthony Peeler, who started Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers. Peeler, who came off the injured list April 6, scored 14 points. ... The Jazz and the Wolves went into the game ranked 1-2 in assists per game. The Jazz, who averaged 25.8 assists, had 20 assists. Wolves, who averaged 25.4, had 27.

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RECAPS
Philadelphia 89
New York 82

Boston 95
New Jersey 88

Cleveland 106
Washington 98

Orlando 90
Miami 73

Indiana 93
Chicago 86

Minnesota 107
Utah 100

Phoenix 88
Sacramento 86

LA Lakers 105
Portland 100

Charlotte 99
Detroit 90

Dallas 107
Seattle 99


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